Parkinson’s disease (PD) represents one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by a dopamine (DA) deficiency in striatal synapses and misfolded toxic α-synuclein aggregates with concomitant cytotoxicity. In this regard, the misfolded proteins accumulation in neurodegenerative disorders induces a remarkable perturbations of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis leading to persistent ER stress, which in turn, effects protein synthesis, modification, and folding quality control. A large body of evidence suggests that natural products target the ER stress signaling pathway, exerting a potential action in cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to assess the neuroprotective effect of cocoa extract and its purified fractions against a cellular model of Parkinson’s disease represented by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, the ability of cocoa to specifically targets PERK sensor, with significant antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities as both crude and fractioning extracts. In addition, cocoa also showed antiapoptotic properties in 3D cell model and a notable ability to inhibit the accumulation of α-synuclein in 6-OHDA-induced cells. Overall, these results indicate that cocoa exerts neuroprotective effects suggesting a novel possible strategy to prevent or, at least, mitigate neurodegenerative disorders, such as PD.

Activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α) is an endoplasmic reticulum protein known to participate in unfolded protein response (UPR) during ER stress in mammals. Herein, we show that in mouse C2C12 myoblasts induced to differentiate, ATF6α is the only pathway of the UPR activated. ATF6α stimulation is p38 MAPK-dependent, as revealed by the use of the inhibitor SB203580, which halts myotube formation and, at the same time, impairs trafficking of ATF6α, which accumulates at the cis-Golgi without being processed in the p50 transcriptional active form. To further evaluate the role of ATF6α, we knocked out the ATF6α gene, thus inhibiting the C2C12 myoblast from undergoing myogenesis, and this occurred independently from p38 MAPK activity. The expression of exogenous ATF6α in knocked-out ATF6α cells recover myogenesis, whereas the expression of an ATF6α mutant in the p38 MAPK phosphorylation site (T166) was not able to regain myogenesis. Genetic ablation of ATF6α also prevents the exit from the cell cycle, which is essential for muscle differentiation. Furthermore, when we inhibited differentiation by the use of dexamethasone in C2C12 cells, we found inactivation of p38 MAPK and, consequently, loss of ATF6α activity. All these findings suggest that the p-p38 MAPK/ATF6α axis, in pathophysiological conditions, regulates myogenesis by promoting the exit from the cell cycle, an essential step to start myoblasts differentiation.

The ent-kaurane diterpene oridonin was reported to inhibit cell migration and invasion in several experimental models. However, the process by which this molecule exerts its anti-metastatic action has not been yet elucidated. In this article, we have investigated the anti-metastatic activity of Oridonin and of one homolog, Irudonin, with the aim to shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the biological activity of these ent-kaurane diterpenes. Cell-based experiments revealed that both compounds are able to affect differentiation and cytoskeleton organization in mouse differentiating myoblasts, but also to impair migration, invasion and colony formation ability of two different metastatic cell lines. Using a compound-centric proteomic approach, we identified some potential targets of the two bioactive compounds among cytoskeletal proteins. Among them, Ezrin, a protein involved in the actin cytoskeleton organization, was further investigated. Our results confirmed the pivotal role of Ezrin in regulating cell migration and invasion, and indicate this protein as a potential target for new anti-cancer therapeutic approaches. The interesting activity profile, the good selectivity towards cancer cells, and the lower toxicity with respect to Oridonin, all suggest that Irudonin is a very promising anti-metastatic agent.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based immunotherapy has significantly improved survival outcomes and radically changed the management of many different types of solid tumors, including melanoma. Almost half of advanced melanoma patients achieve a long-term clinical benefit from ICIs. Unfortunately, the other half of treated patients either rapidly progress or achieve a short-term clinical benefit due to the development of resistance. As a result, novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to overcome ICI resistance. Epigenetic alterations affecting the tumor neoantigen presentation system or modifying the tumor microenvironment can mitigate ICI resistance. Several studies have demonstrated that epigenetic alterations are potentially targetable by epigenetic modifiers, laying the foundation for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to overcome ICI resistance. In the present work, we summarize the major epigenetic alterations involved in the pathogenesis of melanoma and their role in ICI resistance. Preclinical evidence supporting the biological rationale for combining epigenetic modifiers with ICIs and an updated overview of the main clinical trials testing epigenetic modifiers for the treatment of melanoma patients will be presented.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site of entry of all proteins that function in the secretory pathway including the extracellular environment. Because it controls the folding of newly synthesized secretory proteins, the ER is indispensable for the maintenance of proteostasis in the secretory pathway. Within the ER and, in part, in post-ER compartments, the quality control of protein folding is under the regulation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathways. The UPR strategy is to enhance protein folding, increase the ER degradation pathway of misfolded proteins, and allow the exit from the ER of only correctly folded proteins. The latter is controlled by the multimeric complex COPII, which also provides some of the components for ER-phagy the only route for the disposal of protein aggregates. In this overview, we wish to contribute to the introduction of new perspectives in the study of the mechanisms underlying the control of proteostasis within the secretory pathway.